Day 1 - Friday - Apr 15, 2022
Upon arrival in Guayaquil, transfer to the Hotel Hilton Colon. Ask your expedition specialist about extra nights.
Day 2 - Saturday - Apr 16, 2022
This morning, fly to the Galapagos Islands and board Endeavour II. After lunch, we begin our exploration of the islands and their remarkable wildlife. (B,L,D)
| Baltra, Galapagos, Ecuador |
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Day 3 - Sunday - Apr 17, 2022
| Galapagos Islands, Ecuador |
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While our exact routing depends on the National Park Service, we may visit the following islands: - Bartolome - Santiago - Santa Cruz - Isabela - Fernandina - Floreana - Espanola. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Monday - Apr 18, 2022
| Galapagos Islands, Ecuador |
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Day 5 - Tuesday - Apr 19, 2022
| Galapagos Islands, Ecuador |
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Day 6 - Wednesday - Apr 20, 2022
| Galapagos Islands, Ecuador |
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Day 7 - Thursday - Apr 21, 2022
| Galapagos Islands, Ecuador |
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Day 8 - Friday - Apr 22, 2022
| Galapagos Islands, Ecuador |
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Day 9 - Saturday - Apr 23, 2022
| Baltra, Galapagos, Ecuador |
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Depart Galapagos this morning and fly to Lima, Peru. Overnight at the conveniently located Wyndham Costa del Sol Lima Airport Hotel. (B,L)
Day 10 - Sunday - Apr 24, 2022
This morning we board our flight over the Andes to Cusco. Upon arrival, drive through the fabled and fertile Urubamba Valley to Moray-a visually stunning Inca site known for its agricultural terraces. After lunch and an opportunity to experience a local market, check- into the Sol y Luna Lodge for two nights. This serene Relais & Chateaux hotel entices with individual adobe casitas set in a verdant garden. (B,L,D)
Day 11 - Monday - Apr 25, 2022
Spend the day exploring the archaeological sites and culture of the Sacred Valley in the company of National Geographic expert Peter Frost, who has lived and worked in Peru for decades. He (or occasionally a colleague, if he is in the field) joins us for a talk at the hotel and continues with us to Ollantaytambo, where massive stone walls stand sentry over a thriving Inca community. Lunch is nearby at a working family-owned hacienda. Here we are also treated to a show of Peruvian Paso horses, and National Geographic grantee Nilda Callanaupa, the founder of El Centro de Textiles Tradicionales del Cusco, joins us to demonstrate Inca weaving traditions. Dinner tonight is at the hotel. (B,L,D)
Day 12 - Tuesday - Apr 26, 2022
This morning marvel at the tropical Andean scenery and life along the river from the panoramic windows on the train to Machu Picchu-the Inca royal retreat famously introduced to the world by Hiram Bingham in the April 1913 issue of National Geographic magazine. Set at less than 8,000 feet, the sanctuary is set in a tropical mountain forest with diverse birds and orchids. Check into the historic 31-room Belmond Sanctuary Lodge, adjacent to the World Heritage Site, with the leisure to explore over the two days in the company of our hand-picked tour director and local guides. We linger after day-visitors are long gone. Lunch and dinner are at the hotel's private Tampu Restaurant. (B,L,D)
Day 13 - Wednesday - Apr 27, 2022
Awaken this morning at Machu Picchu, where our options include an early hike to the Sun Gate, the ancient final checkpoint to the Machu Picchu on the Inca Trail. After lunch, return through the valley to Cusco, a center of the Inca universe and a burgeoning Andean cultural capital. Check into the Belmond Hotel Monasterio for two nights in the ancient heart of Cusco. Like many colonial-era buildings, our hotel-founded as a monastery in 1592-stands atop a fountain in the Inca-carved stone. (B,L,D)
Day 14 - Thursday - Apr 28, 2022
Explore the magnificently ornate 17th-century cathedral and Plaza de Armas, the sacred Inca Temple of the Sun, and other treasures of Cusco this morning. Visit nearby Sacsayhuaman, where impressive terrace walls, some of the finest stonework we've seen yet, command views over the city. Relax, shop, or visit Cusco's many churches and museums this afternoon. Dinner is on your own tonight. (B,L)
Day 15 - Friday - Apr 29, 2022
Return to vibrant coastal Lima this morning, where on a tour we stroll the Plaza Mayor and delight in a private farewell lunch with a special musical presentation at Casa Aliaga-in the same family for 17 generations. After a visit to the extraordinary Larco Museum, dedicated to pre-Columbian art, check into the Belmond Miraflores Park, set along a fashionable seaside promenade. Dinner is on your own. (B,L)
Day 16 - Saturday - Apr 30, 2022
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights home-or onto Iquitos or Amazon. (B)
